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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF NOVEMBER 25, 2009 FBO #2923
SOLICITATION NOTICE

R -- Assessment on Emerging Forms of Commercial Sex Work in Vietnam

Notice Date
11/23/2009
 
Notice Type
Presolicitation
 
NAICS
541990 — All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
 
Contracting Office
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Procurement and Grants Office (Atlanta), 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, Georgia, 30341-4146
 
ZIP Code
30341-4146
 
Solicitation Number
2010-Q-11832
 
Point of Contact
Terren J. Grimble, Phone: 770-488-2487, Rafael A. Aviles, Phone: 770-488-2805
 
E-Mail Address
TGrimble@cdc.gov, raviles@cdc.gov
(TGrimble@cdc.gov, raviles@cdc.gov)
 
Small Business Set-Aside
N/A
 
Description
Notice Information Notice Type: Presolicitation 2010-Q-11832 Classification Code : R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services NAICS Code: 541-Professional, Scientific & Technical Services/541990 - All other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Agency:/Office: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Location: Procurement and Grants Office (Atlanta) Title: Assessment on Emerging Forms of Commercial Sex Work in Vietnam Description(s): The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Procurement and Grants Office announces the upcoming release of the solicitation to assess (i) the emerging forms of sex work, (ii) social networks that exist to facilitate their activities and the extent of overlapping with the existing street- or EE-based sex network, drug using and MSM networks, (iii) risks and reasons for risk exposures among members of these networks in regards to HIV, Sexually Transmitted Inections (STIs) and other public health problems, and (iv) their exposures to existing HIV/AIDS services. This assessment aims to complement the IBBS by conducting a rapid assessment using qualitative methods to answer the following questions: 1. What does the current picture of sex work look like in Vietnam? This assessment will re-explore the current context of sex work in Vietnam and determine if there are new forms of sex work or whether the types of sex work in Vietnam need to be redefined. It also helps to determine what types of networks exist (including those overlapping with drug-using and MSM networks) and their linkages in order to understand how HIV might spread through these networks. Information obtained, including forms of sex work and prevalence, types of networks, operational characteristics (e.g., time/venues/modes of client solicitation, venues of sexual acts and mobility [including seasonal and migratory sex work]), and the actual risks involved in each form of sex work) through the assessment will inform HIV prevention programs of how and where to successfully access/approach sex workers, particularly non street- and EE-based ones, and how to make use of their social networks to target interventions. 2. What are the factors that influence the engagement in high risk behaviors among those involved in the identified forms of sex work? The assessment will examine circumstances, motivations and benefits of involvement in sex work as well as reasons for risk exposures among sex workers. Information obtained (including the transition from rural to urban areas/trafficking, economic/financial motivations, overlapping risk [i.e., drug use, MSM], types of sexual partners, perception of HIV risk and preventive methods) will lend insight into the contextual factors influencing decision-making in engaging in sex work, choosing forms of sex work, selecting clients and negotiating sexual practices. 3. To what extent are the populations involved in the identified forms of sex work exposed to HIV prevention interventions? The assessment will examine access to HIV services, including Information Education Counseling (IEC), counseling and testing, peer outreach, condom use promotion and STI and addiction services, among the populations engaged in sex work. Information on how sex workers use the services and problems they face in seeking health care and accessing these services will allow programs to identify what are the gaps and needs in providing HIV services to at risk populations and how to improve the accessibility of services among underserved groups. Results of the assessment will be used to inform program planning for (i) improving existing HIV prevention interventions tailored to meet the need of CSWs in terms of vulnerability reduction and risk reduction and (ii) improve access to HIV/AIDS services among CSWs in Vietnam. C.2 Project Objective - The assessment has the following specific objectives: • To define the different types of commercial sex work and sex workers' social networks currently existing in Vietnam. • To assess HIV risk and vulnerability of members of the identified risk networks. • To provide recommendations to guide programs on the development of new interventions or strategies for improving the reach and quality of HIV prevention services for the populations involved in commercial sexual activities. C.3 Scope of Work - (i) The assessment will be conducted in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), and two other sites that will be determined by the in-country CDC/PEPFAR team in view of time and budget. (ii) Qualitative methods will be utilized to answer the research questions described in C.1. Background and Need. (iii) The contractor will develop a detailed protocol that fully describes goals and objectives, population(s) to be involved, assessment design and methods, data collection and management processes, analysis strategy, human subject related issues and findings dissemination plan. This will also include a full set of assessment instruments (i.e., informed consent form, in-depth interview guides, focus group discussion [FGD] guides, and mapping guide). The protocol and instruments must be approved by the CDC/PEPFAR prior to data collection. (iv) The contractor will coordinate data collection in accordance with the approved protocol and ensure that approved assessment tools will be utilized in a proper manner. Any changes to the processes or tools must be discussed with and approved by CDC/PEPFAR. The precise number and locations of key informant interviews, and structured observations, the content of questionnaires and interview guides, and the timing of data collection will be determined in consultation with the CDC/PEPFAR and in view of budget constraints. (v) The contractor will conduct data analysis in consultation with the CDC/PEPFAR. The contractor will produce preliminary findings and recommendations for reporting to the PEPFAR Vietnam team. Based upon feedback of the PEPFAR team, the contractor will produce a final report.. The contractor will work with the CDC/PEPFAR to determine the most appropriate means to present the findings and plan formal dissemination of the final report to the Vietnam Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affaires (MOLISA) and other stakeholders. (vi) The project will be funded through CDC Vietnam. Publications (i.e., conference abstracts, manuscripts) that may result from this assessment will be coordinated with CDC/PEPFAR. Assessment team members, including the contractor and the CDC/PEPFAR staff, will participate in the production (including editing) of manuscript(s) for publication. Authorship will be determined based on standard authorship guidelines (e.g., based on an individual's contribution to the process). Team members will all have the opportunity to comment on drafts of manuscripts prior to submission. Final determination on manuscripts will reside with the principal author. C.4 Technical Requirements The assessment involves the following phases: Phase 1: Development of protocol and data collection instruments. This phase will include the following specific tasks and deliverables: (i) Review of literature and all available information on sex work: Administrative and technical reports, including program reports, journal and newspaper articles, and internet websites, will be reviewed to collect most updated information about transactional/commercial sex practices in Vietnam and worldwide. Literature review will provide information about recent research efforts in this field that help guide qualitative designs for the assessment. Literature review should be presented to the Vietnam PEPFAR Prevention Technical Working Group when completed within 2 weeks after the contract is awarded. (ii) Consultation with experts in related fields: Individual or group meetings will be held with experts, including social researchers, outreach program managers and staff, sex /drug-use network members, community based organizations, local authorities (Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs [DOLISA], Department of Pulic Security [DPS]), to obtain available data on the situation and characteristics of sex work in Vietnam as well as potential venues where populations to be studied are concentrated. Information obtained will be used for developing appropriate qualitative designs, data collection tools, participant selection strategies. This should be available to the CDC/PEPFAR team within four weeks after the contract is awarded. (iii) Field observation/mapping and field testing assessment tools: Field observation/mapping will be conducted to validate information provided through literature review and expert consultation for developing sampling strategy and field work/data collection plan. Data collection tools will be field tested and revised. This should be available to the CDC/PEPFAR team within four weeks after the contract is awarded. (iv) Deliverables are: (a) a final assessment protocol and (b) data collection tools including informed consent form, participant in-depth interview guides, key informant interview guides and FGD guides. These should be available to the CDC/PEPFAR team for review and approval within 6 weeks after the contract is awarded. (v) Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval: Since the project is funded by the U.S. Government and involves human subjects, the contractor must ensure compliance to the U.S. research policy and all relevant IRB requirements associated with the project are met. The assessment protocol and relevant assessment tools will be submitted to CDC in Atlanta for review and IRB approval. Data collection will not begin until an IRB approval memo is received from CDC Atlanta. The CDC team in Hanoi will be point of contact for this procedure. Phase 2: Conduct field work and data collection. This phase includes the following specific tasks and deliverables: (i) Identification and training of interviewers. One training workshop will be conducted for interviewer teams in order to become familiar with the assessment goal/objectives and scope of work, and learn how to correctly use assessment tools and protect participant privacy and confidentiality. Training materials will be developed and used for the training. This should be available to the CDC/PEPFAR team for review and approval within two weeks following IRB approval. (ii) Appropriate strategies for selecting participants/key informants for interviews and FGDs will be developed. Potential venues where interviews or FGDs will take place will be identified. This should be completed within two weeks following IRB approval. (iii) Supervision and technical oversight will be provided to interviewer teams while they are collecting data. Reports on issues or problems arising during field work will be sent to the CDC/PEPFAR to seek joint solutions if needed. (iv) Field notes or tapes or any other forms of data collected will be kept safe and confidential. (v) Data collection must be finished within eight weeks following IRB approval. Phase 3. Data analysis, report writing and dissemination (i) Data analysis will be conducted in consultation with CDC/PEPFAR and preliminary findings will be presented to the CDC/PEPFAR team for feedback. This should be available within three weeks after the data collection is finished. (ii) A written report will be produced by the contractor and made available to the CDC/PEPFAR within 4 weeks after the data collection is finished. The report should be fully reviewed by the CDC/PEPFAR team during the course of finalization. (iii) A dissemination meeting will be conducted to present results of the assessment to the in-country PEPFAR team and key stake holders. (iv) The written report will be finalized based on feedback and comments from the PEPFAR team and stake holders. This will be available to the CDC/PEPFAR team within two weeks after the dissemination meeting. C.5 Reporting Schedule Reporting will include (a) routine updates (via meetings, telephone or e-mail communications) to CDC/PEPFAR on the progress of activities, (b) presentations on results of data analysis, and (c) final written report at the end of the project. C.6 Special Considerations Contractor must be a local NGO, University, Institute, company, etc. and be based in Vietnam with adequate local staff. The PEPFAR Vietnam team works closely with the MOH and MOLISA on HIV/AIDS and the contractor will be expected to collaborate with these and other government agencies (e.g., Vietnam Administration of AIDS Prevention and Control [VAAC], DOLISA, DPS, and provincial AIDS centers) in planning and implementing this assessment. Vendor Qualifications 1) The Vendor must be a Vietnamese local institution (including local NGO, government-owned or private company, and/or university). 2) The principle scientist on this contract shall be an MD or PH.D. having 5 years of experience in community based research with vulnerable populations; and/or evaluating behavioral interventions in Vietnam. 3) The vendor must identify capacity to provide staffing in Vietnam through Vietnamese national and if necessary, senior scientific consultants experienced in managing behavioral evaluation activities. (4) Vendor must have 3 years of experience in qualitative and quantitative research related to HIV/AIDS behavioral interventions. (5) Vendor must have 3 years of experience in working in culturally sensitive environments with populations most at risk for HIV infection (e.g., sex work, drug use, men who have sex with men (MSM)). (6) Vendor must have 5 experience working and coordinating activities with GVN authorities and local/international NGO programs. (7) The Vendor must have demonstrated successful experiences (within the past 5 years) in adherence to task schedules and mission requirements, responsiveness to technical direction, and ability to overcome program, technical, or schedule difficulties without extensive guidance from the procuring activity. The anticipated period of performance is five (5) months after award. All responsible qualified entities are invited to submit a proposal to be considered by the Government. Award is expected to be made on or before February 1, 2010. The anticipated release date of the solicitation is December 7, 2009. This advertisement ends in 10 days accordance with FAR 5.203 (A) (1). All interested parties must submit their request in writing to the Contracting Specialist, Terren Grimble at ibi9@cdc.gov. All requests for a solicitation package must be made by email and should reference solicitation number 2009-Q-11832. Primary Point of Contact: Mrs. Terren J. Grimble Contracting Office Address: Procurement & Grants Office - Branch VII 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 2704 MS: K75 Atlanta, GA 30341-4146
 
Web Link
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/CDCP/PGOA/2010-Q-11832/listing.html)
 
Place of Performance
Address: Vietnam, United States
 
Record
SN02009281-W 20091125/091123235053-4a42334e7a9a21088034d2b37ae0df61 (fbodaily.com)
 
Source
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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